Houston’s Best Bakeries — 10 Spots For Great Bread, Sweet Treats and More

If you’re ever craving croissants, desiring danishes or pining after pies, you’re in luck. Houston’s many, many bakeries are up to scratch. From quaint little standalone bakeries to chains that have kept their charm, the options are limitless.

You may think that all Houston bakeries are similar, but you’d be wrong. Some specialize in macarons while others are revered for their hot, straight-out-the-oven chocolate chip cookies. You’ll find the French aren’t the only ones who’ve mastered the art of pastries.

If you’re worried about where to stop off before your next picnic or party, there’s no need to fret. PaperCity has rounded up the Top 10 Bakeries in Houston.

El Bolillo

2517 Airline Drive; 2421 South Wayside Drive; 917 Southmore Avenue

The joys of this cozy tres leches haven are known from Houston to Pasadena. This bakeshop may indeed be a chain, but it’s still one of the most down-home, authentic Mexican bakeries you’ll find out there.

El Bolillo is almost overwhelming just in terms of volume, but there’s an easy solution — and your eyes won’t be bigger than your stomach. Grab a tray and a set of tongs to build your own dazzling array of goodies, choosing from pan dulce, to churros, chocolate abuelita and more.

Moeller’s Bakery

4201 Bellaire Boulevard

This beloved, longstanding bakery is revered for its custom cakes, its petit fours, its cookies and, most of all, its surprisingly delicate cheese straws. This old-school hideaway has been keeping things real — and tasty — since 1930.

It’s modest and fully retro, with cookies iced to the nines in shapes like flowers and Sesame Street characters, cinnamon rolls, theme cakes and more. While Moeller’s has plenty of flavors for these special occasion treats — shaped like everything from pumpkins to log cabins to igloos — its simple white cake just can’t be beat.

Fluff Bake Bar

314 Gray Street

This prized patisserie comes courtesy of resident Sugar Hooker Rebecca Masson. Nestled in the heart of Midtown, this whimsical bakery is all about inventive treats, French techniques meeting far-out flavors.

Like the Veruca Salt Cake with a devil’s food cake and salted caramel butter cream, the Couch Potato cookie with potato chips, marshmallows and pretzels and the Booty Call Brownie with chocolate chip cookie dough and golden graham crunch.

Common Bond Café & Bakery

1706 Westheimer Road; 2278 West Holcombe Boulevard

Montrose mainstay Common Bond is making major moves with plans to spread its sweetness across the city. After a successful, recent expansion into the Med Center, the rustic-chic cafe-meets-bakery has set its sights on the much-hyped Heights Waterworks development.

Common Bond’s delicate pastries are truly a sight to behold from light as can be strawberry “shortcakes” that are pretty in pink to pear and earl gray tea scones. A bakery would be nothing without top-notch bread, and Common Bond delivers with staples, plus sunflower rye, olive walnut and German three grain loaves.

Pondicheri Café

2800 Kirby Drive, B 132

This popular Indian restaurant in River Oaks has an industrial vibe and downright vibrant cuisine. It’s no surprise, since Chef Anita Jaisinghani  was indeed nominated for Best Chef: Southwest in the James Beard Awards last year.

The magic also happens upstairs in the Bake Lab, a treasure trove of elevated desserts with major Indian influences, like chai pie, summer trifle with cardamom sponge cake and besan mitha with chickpea fudge.

Tinys Milk and Cookies

3636 Rice Boulevard

This dreamy dessert destination is tucked right over by Tiny’s No. 5 in West U. Some say it’s not the same as the original location, but then they must not have ever tasted this petite pit stop’s epic, platonic ideal of a chocolate chip cookie.

The charming walk-up offers more than delectable chocolate chips — you’ll find sugar cookies, too, and you can even take home some frozen cookie dough to bake them at your leisure. Then, there’s out-of-this-world ice cream, plus from-scratch successes: almond croissants, turnovers, blueberry scones and even donuts.

La Table

1800 Post Oak

This multi-level French restaurant in BLVD Place isn’t just about chic patios, sweeping views, foie gras and tuna niçoise. The La Table team has also curated a careful bakery, making the finest in Français treats.

Modeled after the classic bakeries scattered throughout French villages, the bakery at La Table is open from mid-morning to close. You’ll find a sweet setting thanks to hand-painted tiles, vintage fixtures and gray marble — and you can feast your eyes and your belly on authentic macarons, cookies, breads and pastries.

 Three Brothers Bakery

4036 South Braeswood Boulevard; 12393 Kingsride Lane; 4606 Washington Avenue

This storied bakery may have just lost its kosher license, but it’s still going strong. There’s been an outpouring of support in the community for these fifth-generation bakers.

 They’ve won the hearts of pastry-lovers across the city with glorious custom cakes for all occasions, cake pops, cupcakes and many Jewish-style baked goods. But their pumpecapple pie cake just might be the best of all.

Red Dessert Dive

1045 Studewood Drive

This little treasure right off 11th Street puts fun new spins on bakery staples and shares a bevy of beers, wines and even locally roasted coffee. The menu rotates constantly, so your best bet is to go often. Even if just for Red Dessert’s snazzy peanut butter and pear preserve sandwich.

Think bacon and chive kolaches, bread pudding with Bourbon caramel sauce and chocolate croissants. Keep in mind — if you pop in, you can purchase six goods from this small batch bakery. If you want more, you’ll have to order ahead.

Croissant-Brioche

2435 Rice Boulevard

The baked goodies at Croissant-Brioche are delightful, whether you want to munch on them inside the light, bright cozy café area or outside at the sweet tables along the Rice Village street.

It opens as early as 7 am, which makes it a relaxing spot to grab a latte and light-as-air almond croissant before you roll into work. Other pros: potentially the finest éclair around, apricot danishes and a selection of sandwiches on amazing baguette bread.